Volodymyr Zelensky has gone through the wringer since day one as Ukraine’s president – mostly dressed in anything but a suit.

Zelensky’s outfit choices are in the spotlight again after his heated meeting with US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance that saw Zelensky storm out of the press conference.

The car crash of a diplomatic meeting was disrupted when a reporter suddenly asked Zelensky ‘why don’t you wear a suit?’ before Trump shouted at the embattled Ukrainian leader and accused him of ‘gambling with World War Three.’

Here is a roundup of why Zelensky isn’t seen wearing a suit like many other leaders.

Why does Volodymyr Zelensky not wear a suit?

Zelensky’s significantly more casual style can make him stand out like a sore thumb among the formal world leaders who are often almost double his age.

But, the 47-year-old former comedian has a serious reason for his outfit choices – the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.

The protracted conflict which has put the world on knife’s edge has also cast a shadow on Zelensky’s appearance, catapulting him from his TV comedian days into a resilient leader his citizens look up to during the tough times.

Zelensky isn’t the only leader who has swapped the suit for a combat-ready outfit to honour the soldiers fighting off the Russian offensive.

His transformation has been compared to that of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill who famously wore an army-style one-piece when visiting Washington during World War Two.

Who asked about his suit at the White House meeting?

The question came from a conservative reporter Brian Glenn, the chief White House correspondent at Real America’s Voice, a right-wing channel which has been criticised for spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation.

Glenn, who was dressed in a suit himself, asked Zelensky: ‘Why don’t you wear a suit? You’re at the highest level in this country’s office and you refuse to wear a suit.

‘Do you own a suit?’

Zelensky, who first appeared baffled by the question, responded that he will ‘wear a costume after this war will finish.’

‘Maybe something like yours, maybe something better, I don’t know. We will see. Maybe something cheaper,’ he told the reporter.

An army sweatshirt and cargo trousers have become Zelensky’s go-to outfit since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

This could be as much about image building as a war-time leader as it is about wanting to draw attention to the ongoing struggle in Ukraine at the world stage.

The casual outfit with army elements can be seen as a symbol of masculine strength without being too militaristic like a general’s uniform could appear.

Leaders wearing an army attire command authority and inspire during difficult times. Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat famously opted for military outfits to mark their struggle.

The outfit choices are carefully considered, marking Zelensky’s evolution from a well-known Ukrainian comedian, a leader in relative peacetime in 2019 to a wartime president.

Before the Russia-Ukraine war, Zelensky was often pictured in a classic navy or dark suit paired with a tie as he built his image as a politician.

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